title: Energy requirements and metabolism of the Phillip's dikdik (Madoqua saltiana phillipsi).
abstract: Basal metabolic rates in mammals are mainly determined by body mass, but also by ecological factors. Some mammalian species inhabiting hot, dry environments were found to have lower metabolic rates compared to temperate species. We studied energy metabolism in Phillip's dikdik (Madoqua saltiana phillipsi), a small antelope inhabiting xeric shrubland habitats in the Eastern 'horn' of Africa, and compared results to literature data. We measured body mass (BM) changes and digestibility in 12 adults kept on different food intake levels to determine, by extrapolation to zero BM change, maintenance energy requirements (MEm) for metabolizable energy (ME). The MEm averaged at 404±20kJMEkgBM(-0.75)d(-1). In addition we conducted 24h-chamber respirometry with seven fed (non-fasted) individuals. Their mean metabolic rate as calculated from oxygen consumption was 403±51kJkgBM(-0.75)d(-1), corroborating the results of the feeding experiments. Selecting the 20 lowest values of the respiration measurement period to estimate resting metabolic rate (RMR) resulted in a mean RMR of 244±39kJkgBM(-0.75)d(-1), which was not significantly lower than the expected basal metabolic rate of 293kJkgBM(-0.75)d(-1). Therefore, resting metabolism was similar to the expected average basal metabolism of a mammal of this size, which suggests a comparatively low metabolic rate in dikdiks. Compared to literature data Phillip's dikdiks have a MEm similar to measurements reported for small domestic ruminants, but considerably lower than those reported for other wild ruminant species inhabiting temperate and cold climates.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland; ETH Zurich, Institute for Agricultural Sciences, Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: marie.dittmann@agrl.ethz.ch.
authors.forename: Marie T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Dittmann
authors.forename: Christiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hebel
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hammer
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hummel
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ortmann
authors.forename: Abdi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arif
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bouts
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kreuzer
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clauss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000866:Antelopes / Q000378:metabolism*; D001481:Basal Metabolism; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002149:Energy Intake; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide
keywords: Arid; Dikdik; Energy; Madoqua; Maintenance requirements; Metabolism; Respiration; Resting metabolic rate